Traditional Crop Revival

My name is Bishi Mallick, from Salaguda village block. It would be good if Kangu, Kuheri, Mandia, and Jana (crops that were cultivated previously) are brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Ashok Mallick, from Salaguda village block. It would be good if Kangu, Kuheri, Mandia, and Jana (crops/varieties) that were previously available are brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Saraj Mallik, from Keramaha block. It would be good if Kangu, Kuheri, millet, and jowar, which were previously cultivated, are brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Kaushik Mallick, from Keramaha village block. It would be good if the previously available Kangu, Kuheri, Mandia, and Jana crops are brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Ananta Mallick, from Salaguda Block village. It would be good if Kangu, Kuheri, Mandia, and Jana, which were available before, are brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

Name: Malaya Mallick, Village: Salaguda. It would be good if traditional grains like Kangu, Kuheri, Mandia, Jona are brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

Name Labaraj Mallik, village Keramaha Block. It would be good if the Kangu, Kuheri, Mandia, and Jana (crops) from before are brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

Name Ramesh Mallick, village Salaguda Block. It would be good if Kangu, Kuheri, Mandia, and Jana (grains) that were there previously are brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

Name Sahadev Mallick, village Keramaha Block. It would be good if the Kangu, Kuheri, Mandia, and Jana (grains/seeds) that were previously available are brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Ganeswar Mallick, from village Keramaha. Earlier, people used to talk about Lanka Mandia, Kueri, Kangu, Jhana. If cultivated now, it would be beneficial.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

His name is Tahari Mallick, from Salaguda village. It would be good if traditional grains like Kangu, Kuheri, Mandia, and Jana are brought back now, as they were previously.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

Pradeep Malik is speaking. And my Salaguda Panchayat. And the programs we had in the past, meaning, in the past people used to eat ragi, ragi kudi and this wild yam, they used to eat all these. We are trying to bring this cultivation back again. It would be good if this came back.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Sabjan Mitra Pradhan. My village is Dibaoala. My Panchayat is Godimunda, and my Block is Tikabali. In the olden days, we used to cultivate and live off queer, died, and mandia (millet). In today's time, we don't get those seeds. That's why we can't even cultivate. If we get seeds from the old times, we can cultivate and live.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Sukanti Pradhan. My village is Lambakupa. GP is Pikorodi. Block is Tikabali. District is Kandhamal. In our rural areas, the main food items that were cultivated, such as ragi, millet, maize, black gram, and green gram, did not require fertilizer. That's why our ancestors lived for a long time. Currently, because we are not cultivating our traditional food seeds, many kinds of diseases are occurring. So, if we can get traditional food and seeds from the government, then we can return to our previous state.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

Name Ranjith Mallick, village Salaguda block. Previously Kangu Kuhuri, Mandia, and Jana were there. It would be good if they are brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

I am Mrs. Aparna Pradhan from Lamungia village, Gram Panchayat Manikeshwar, Kandhamal district. I want to bring back the ancient crops/millets Kujuri, Mandia, and Kangu.

— Sudhakar Pradhan · Kandhamal, Odisha

Name Nabeshwar Mallick, village Salaguda block. It would be good if Kangu Kuheri Mandia Jona, which was there before, is brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

My village is Madipanka Panchayat, Bamua Block, Daringbadi, Kandhamal District. I feel that the traditional farming methods our ancestors used, without using fertilizers, yielded more crops. Now, even with fertilizers, the yield... I am expressing my wish.

— SUBASH SABHASUNDAR · Gajapati, Odisha

My name is Surendra Podra. I am from Gurumundi village, Katinga Gram Panchayat, Dani block, Kandhamal district. I want to highlight the environmental degradation of today. Our ancestors used to live in the forest, depending on roots, greens, and various other things. But... I express my desire to bring back that kind of environment.

— SUBASH SABHASUNDAR · Gajapati, Odisha

Name Krishna Mallick, village Salaguda block. Earlier, Kangu Kuheri Mandia Jan, it would be good if it is brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

Name Upendra Mallick, village Salaguda block. It would be good if Kangu Kuheri Mandia Jana, which was there before, is brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Sumitra Pradhan, my village is Pikarodi, block is Tikabali, district is Kandhamal. In the old days, if there was any convenience or problem in the village, five people would sit and resolve the matter. The elder, whoever was there, whatever he said, would be decided accordingly. But nowadays, all people are going to courts. That's why we want to return to the previous situation.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

Name Birajee Mallick, from Keramaha village in Purbaru Block. It would be good if Kangu, Kuheri, Mandia, and Jana (grains) are returned now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Sabita Pradhan. My village is Ghosaguda. The block is Tikabali. In earlier times, we used to cultivate in the forests. And we used to cultivate millets, corn, black gram, and horse gram. We used to cultivate all those. Fertilizer was not even needed there. And even if we want to cultivate now, we are not getting seeds. That's why we are requesting the government that if they provide us with seeds, we will be able to cultivate and sustain ourselves.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Chandrika Pradhan. My village is Panga Bidungia, block is Tikabali. In the olden days, we used to keep seeds in pots. We kept them because, in the olden days, we didn't use fertilizer. Nowadays, we are using fertilizer. That's why we can't keep our seeds for many days. We want to return to the previous state.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Namita Pradhan, and my village is Breka. The block is Tikabali, GP is Pikarodi, and the district is Kandhamal. In our village, in the olden days, if there was any dispute or problem, the villagers would resolve it by holding a meeting in the village itself. Now, in today's era, everyone runs to the court. And we wish to return to those golden days.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Banita Pradhan, my village is Brenguda, the panchayat is Bodimunda, and the people are Tikabali. In the past, if there were quarrels, five people would sit together in the village and resolve them. Nowadays, everyone goes to court. That's why we want to return to our previous state.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

Name, Sudhir, Baliguda Block. Currently, food items include Mandiān, Kuari, Kangu, Tankujau. It would have been good if the cultivation of these food items had been restarted.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Sanjukta Digal. My village is Kamba Naju, GP is Pikarudi, Block is Tikabali. Earlier, we used to get all these things like Mandia, Deddy, Arka, Chana, Makka. And nowadays, we don't get seeds. And our body, our body is also getting very bad. Because now we are only eating processed food. That's why, if we get the old traditional seeds, we want to cultivate and keep our body healthy.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Tuma Pradhan, my village is Pikorodi, my GP is Pikorodi, my block is Tikabali. In the old days, if there was any problem or quarrel in our village, five people would sit together, talk, and resolve all issues. But today, everyone goes to court. That's why we want to bring back the old days, the old way of solving problems.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Isaac Sabar, village Zero Number, Panchayat Mandi Mandi, District Kandhamal. I feel that in the current situation, people used to use traditional forest products, which are forest-derived goods, in large quantities to sustain their livelihoods, but due to the lack of forests, they have disappeared. We want to restore the forests so that we can enjoy those forest products just like our ancestors used to.

— SUBASH SABHASUNDAR · Gajapati, Odisha

My name is Jarunal Pradhan, and my village is Piparodi. And the GP (Gram Panchayat) is Piparodi block, Tikabali. In the past, we used to clear the forest there and plant millet, ragi, and corn. But today, we are not able to get those seeds. That's why we are requesting the government for seeds.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Ashalata Pradhan. My village is Pikorodi, and the panchayat is Pikorodi, the block is Tikabali. In the olden days, we used to cultivate everything like corn, paddy, and all with only natural methods (without chemical fertilizers) and would eat it, and we didn't get any diseases. Now we are not getting these seeds, that's why we are not cultivating. Our people are suffering from many diseases. And if the government gives us seeds, we will be happy and able to cultivate.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Mutiy Pradhan. My Gram Panchayat is Pikorodi. My Block is Tikabali. My District is Kandhamal. Our mothers used to store seeds in the olden days. They would keep seeds in pots near the fire in 'Putra Jakore'. Nothing would happen to them. Today, in today's date, farming is done with fertilizer and pesticides, which is why this year, the seeds cannot last even for a year. That's why we want to live like before.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha